


Invasion

by iluvaqt



Series: His Best Girl [16]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), Captain America (Movies), Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Men in Black (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Gen, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pregnancy, Space Battles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-04
Updated: 2015-07-04
Packaged: 2018-04-07 10:38:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4260156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iluvaqt/pseuds/iluvaqt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In their attempts to manipulate Steve Rogers into betraying Earth's defensive secrets, the Skrulls inadvertently sabotage their invasion. The humans discover their intent. Some of the Skrulls carefully laid plans are successful, others are foiled. But with enemies in their midst, even the strongest can fall. The Avengers are no exception.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Invasion

[ ](http://s13.photobucket.com/user/micki34/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_1.jpg.html)

::: ::: :::

**Griffin Institute, undisclosed location, off the coast of Africa**

Hope leaned against the desk and eyed Oliver like he'd been drinking too much of his stash of Smirnoff from his bottom desk drawer, that he didn't think she knew he had.

Everyone thought post-Island Oliver was dry and sober. He wasn't the wild bad boy the news and tabloids had shown him to be in the past, but Oliver knew how to party and he still drank. He just didn't drink very often. However if he was feeling cornered or particularly disconsolate, he would try to numb his brain. In this instance, Hope couldn't figure out what had caused this bout of escapism and wasn't about to make any snap judgements over whether he was drunk or just nuts.

"You're saying there could be these shape-shifting aliens on our island?"

"I'm saying, we should be prepared if there are. We're isolated here. If they have planned a full scale invasion, we need to be ready to protect our people." Oliver set down a slim case down on the desk. "It sends electrical impulses to the brain that allows us to see the way they manipulate their cellular structure. There weren't many made, some of the components are difficult to source, I'm told and they didn't want to draw undue attention to what we're doing. We have two of only four in existence. One is in New York, and the other on it's way to MI-6 in London."

"Why spare two on us then?"

Oliver ran a tired hand through his closely cropped hair. "We have the highest concentration of metahumans, who have all chosen to be here. If there really is a war coming, I'd like to think all of them are here because they want to live in peaceful harmony. But if there are Skrulls on our island. It's possible they're plants made to take out the biggest threats to their invasion. I'm hoping that's not the case, but that's plain wishful thinking. There better not be trouble, or I'll hit them so fast they won't even see it coming. But Hope, if they start a war out there, you know where I'll be."

"Scott and I will be there too. I'll take a look at the tech and see if I can reverse engineer the design. It might be compatible with the suit. It'll help to have more eyes, right?"

::: ::: :::

**Avengers Tower, New York**

Natasha brought her batons down hard and they connected with Felicity's shield arm. She had to shake off the resulting impact and dodge quickly to avoid taking a blow to the head, even though she had felt the ricochet all the way to her toes. There was no hesitation or restraint in her sparring partner's fighting style anymore. Felicity had absorbed everything they had taught her and grown stronger and faster with each passing month of training. Natasha wouldn't say it in front of the men, but she was easily in the league of Sam and Clint in her strength. If Felicity had been using a real sword instead of a dulled training one, Natasha had doubts that her batons would hold up against her attacks for very long.

Ever since Felicity had learned that her birth father's skill lay with the sword, she'd been curious to learn. The only one with fencing experience was Barnes. He'd taken fencing lessons in school and that skill had been expanded on by Hydra in his captive years.

The training room door opened and revealed the man of her current train of thought.

He was in the Captain's uniform and it wouldn't matter how many times he appeared without the masked helmet, Natasha would never get used to seeing him in it.

Felicity lowered her sword and smiled at Bucky in greeting. "How'd it go?"

It was his first assignment leading a team of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents. For lack of a better adjective, he looked harassed. Natasha could only imagine his mental state. She remembered her first days working with agents without Clint and she grimaced in sympathy. It had taken years to earn the trust of the agents they worked with. And with every new recruit, it would start the process over. She lived for the solo or duo missions, where she would only have to work with Clint. Someone she knew she could count on to have her back and not second guess her decisions. It had taken work, but she'd finally gotten Steve to a place of trust. It hadn't been easy even after he'd seen her in action in New York and they'd trained together for a few months. It was only after they were the only two standing after Nick 'died' and they learned of Dr. Arnim Zola's plans and they survived him trying to burn them to ash that she felt they'd forged a solid trust between them. As evidenced by his mere slightly raised eyebrow in question over her interrogation methods later as opposed to what would have been vocal disapproval in the past.

"That good, huh?" Felicity bantered at Barnes' troubled and fatigued expression. "If you want to blow off some steam, I'm up for it."

Bucky stopped lingering at the edge of the training floor and Natasha happily tapped out, when Bucky motioned for her batons. She hadn't planned to watch but her eyes widened and she had to remind herself to breathe when Bucky launched into a no holds barred attack and struck at Felicity with all the ferocity of a man possessed by single minded purpose. To be the last man standing. Adrenaline shooting through her, Natasha curled her hand around the neck of the water bottle she was holding and debated internally whether she should intervene.

To her credit, Felicity didn't flinch and did her best to keep up with his blows. She was so busy deflecting and parrying his attacks that she couldn't get a single sweep in. Hoping to keep his eyes trained on her upper body, she used her shield arm and her sword to block him, while she kicked at his knee and only just managed to keep her balance. Bucky didn't however and lost momentum in his latest swing. Felicity didn't waste her opportunity and ran her shield into his chest, knocking him to the floor. She straddled shoulders and pinned his arms with her knees, putting the point of her sword against the hollow of his throat. "Yield?"

It had been a furious five minutes, but one that Natasha wouldn't soon forget. She honestly feared for a moment there that Bucky really wanted to hurt Felicity. He was breathing hard on his back, his nostrils flaring and his eyes still as dark, if not darker than when he came in, glaring up at her. Intense fire still clear in the tension of his body and his expression.

Bucky ripped the sword from her grasp and it clattered to the floor loudly a respectable distance away. He had her on her back, his hand at her throat and his weight pinning her legs in the space of heartbeat. "Who am I?" he growled at her.

When Felicity was too startled and winded to answer, he leaned down and smashed his fist against the training mat by her head. "Answer me," he spat.

Eyes wide and fear taking over, Felicity dropped her shield and grabbed his wrist with both hands. Her fear dialed back slightly feeling warm flesh beneath the fabric of his uniform. She could break his hold if she wanted to. There would be no stopping him if he'd used his bionic arm. "James. You're James," she choked. He wasn't hurting her yet but the turmoil in his eyes unsettled her. She didn't fear for herself, but she feared that in his rage, he might hurt the baby. He must still have some control because he hadn't sat on her stomach to pin her down. "Talk to me," she forced out. His fingers were starting to tighten, and out of the corner of her eye she saw Natasha moving to retrieve one of the electrical batons from the rack. With a subtle gesture, she waved her down. "James, please," she pleaded with him again.

His hardened mask broke and he released her as though she'd burned him. A second later he was off her and he stood, trembling bodily faced away from her. Felicity pushed herself upright and shook her head when Natasha made a move to help her. She gestured for her to go. Natasha gave her a look that spoke volumes of her concern but moved out of sight in the shadow of the corridor that lead to the communal bathroom .

"What happened out there?"

His shoulders stiffened and with his head bowed, Bucky still didn't face her. "It's not them," he said still breathing hard. "It's you."

Felicity recoiled, blinking rapidly. What had she done? She wracked her brain trying to think what she could have possibly said or done to provoke this kind of reaction from him. At her silence, Bucky whirled on her and grabbed her arms.

"You don't even deny it," he raged at her. "I'm not him. You can't have him back, so you thought you'd grab the next best thing? His best friend. Why not, huh? We're the same age, we grew up together. You put me in his uniform. Give me his job. What next? Do you think I'll make a good fill in lover?" he sneered at her bitterly.

Felicity was in shock. She was too rattled to verbally retaliate to his taunts but that didn't stop the burning anger that simmered in her veins at his insinuation that she would ever try to get him to fill Steve's shoes. Those were impossible boots to fill. Not even the shell of the man that they'd rescued could do that, and he had all the right genetics going for him. "Don't you dare," she cried at him. "When have I ever even given you the slightest impression I want you!"

Bucky smiled at her cruelly. "You don't remember curling up to me. Falling asleep on my shoulder? I certainly can't. It's been a long time since I've had a woman willingly come to me. Especially one as beautiful as you."

Ordinarily, Felicity would have blushed at the compliment, but James hadn't meant it as one. Not really. There was ice in his expression and his lips were twisted in a sneer.

"Are you sleeping with him yet? I bet he wouldn't deny you that."

Felicity felt hot tears build in earnest. "Why are you doing this?"

Bucky saw her tears and closed his eyes, turned away from her and pulled at his hair. "Because you're doing it to me. Making me want...I'm not him, and damn it... I look at you and it's...like. It's that burning all over again. He doesn't even realize what he has. He has everything and to him it's nothing. It's the war, Hydra, pain and... He's my brother and love him but sometimes I can't stand to look at him."

Felicity didn't dare move. He was so volatile when he was like this. Lost in his memories. Ghosts of the past, tormentors both the hands of Hydra and his jaded memories of Steve. She couldn't help him when he was like this, stuck inside his own head. She waited patiently, carefully, for his strength of grit to win out. For the James Buchanan Barnes, that Steve had always believed in, that he'd convinced her was worth fighting for, to come back to them. This man she fought for - for the both of them, now that Steve had forgotten his friend - he was sometimes lost but struggling to stay with them. She couldn't let him struggle alone. "Yes, I recommended you for the uniform. To bear the shield but it was all down to you in the end. No one says you have to do this, James."

She watched as his fists uncurled and she saw a tear trek down his cheek. Felicity touched him carefully on the shoulder but did nothing else. Just silently proving to him that she wasn't leaving. No matter how much he wanted to frighten her off. Her family was small. There weren't many people she needed in her life, but James had become one of them. Especially after she lost Steve. Even though he was back, he wasn't really. He hadn't even tried to get to know her. She wasn't sure if that was the General's doing, or Steve himself but it didn't make it hurt any less. "You can take off the uniform, it wouldn't make me care about you any less. You're his family, James. No matter how much you might rile at me, or hate him for what we've survived, for what we have, I won't give up on you. It's times where we think we're at our lowest, that we're not worthy, that the ones we love, should love us the most. It's when we need to feel love the most. Steve's not here. He can't tell you himself, so I'm doing it for the both of us."

"I'm giving it back to them," Bucky said firmly as though still trying to dissuade her of her confidence in his ability to work through his PTSD and all his anger at the world, to be worthy of her love for him. "I don't think it's good for either of us. I felt like I was just starting to figure out who I was and then Director Hill shows up with all this. And it can't be easy for you," he said softly. "And I'm sorry. I was way out of line..."

"Can we forget that?" Felicity said with a bitter laugh. "I know I don't want to think about it. I can tell you with absolute certainty that for the past couple of months, I haven't even thought about _that_ with any kind of passing fancy. With the all-day nausea, tiredness, muscle twinges, vomiting and headaches..."

Bucky grimaced. "Oversharing," he said in a put-upon voice.

Felicity punched him in the shoulder. "You deserve it, buster."

Bucky winced at her strength and let out a long breath. "So you'd be okay with them giving it to Steve?"

Felicity stiffened as her brain actually processed the thought. Would she be? It rightfully belong to him but part of her just rallied against the idea. The most pressing argument was that she just didn't think he was ready. Physically or mentally. "Honestly, no, but again, it's not my call to make. My opinions amount to little more than hot air with the DoD and I had only a token say in regards to Steve's care. When the doctors said he was fit and of sound mind, my opinion ceased to have any weight at all."

"Have you talked to him at all lately?"

Felicity bent to pick up her fallen weapons and felt a twinge in her side that reminded her that she had over extended her muscles and she should have bent her knees. Very soon she wouldn't be able to bend over at all. "I'm not a charity case, Barnes."

Bucky snorted. "Neither am I and you know that wasn't what I meant." Damn and blast if setting her up with his amnesiac former best friend was the last thing he actually wanted. But this wasn't about what he wished for. "He seems curious about you, you know. I overheard him asking JARVIS if he could access your old rooms. JARVIS said he'd need your permission. Since I was there and I heard, I suggested he should just talk to you."

Steve had wanted to get into their room at the tower? What was odd, was that she hadn't changed the code since they'd gone on the run. JARVIS had full control of the tower and she had never locked him out of her lab or her room. Why would he deny Steve access? And even more curious was why would Steve want to access it unless he was beginning to remember things prior to his shooting. And if he was, why hadn't he come to her? Her heart beat picked up in her chest and a blush crept over her cheeks. "Why wouldn't he talk to me? Last month when I bought him a birthday gift he didn't even recognise my handwriting or know what to do with the box of mixed art materials. It's like the man I married no longer exists. He might as well be a doppelgänger with Steve's name."

Bucky watched her with sorrowful eyes. "I know what you mean. He doesn't like any of the things Steve used to be crazy about. Like he hates squash now. How can you hate squash? It's an all American thing. That's like saying you hate pumpkin pie. Isn't it all pumpkin and squash?"

Felicity snorted at the memory of Steve at their first Thanksgiving and his face when she's told him that she'd never celebrated Thanksgiving. He'd flustered for a moment before recovering and saying even though she was Jewish surly she could appreciate the sentiment and the food. She's smiled brightly at him and kissed him soundly, saying she'd never let his gourmet delights go to waste. It was such a novel thing watching her seasoned, straight laced soldier blush as bright as a cranberry in front of their friends. All of a sudden, a sob bubbled up from her chest and she wrapped her arms around herself tightly, desperate to keep it buried. "I miss him so much," she blurted.

Bucky didn't let her crumble alone. Understanding her pain, he put his arms around her and hugged her until her sobs quieted. He caught a flash of red hair catch a sliver of light from the shadows and knew Natasha trusted him enough to leave them now. While he hated that he had let his demons get the better of him and that someone else had been there to see it, he was also grateful that Felicity had protectors. Last time they'd been lucky. He'd been lucky she was more than human. She had too much faith in others. Her trust was sometimes misplaced. But he swore in his heart that he'd do better. He owed it not only to the boy who saw another poor kid in an alley and took pity on him. Befriended him. Shared his family and his food with him through the tough times when groceries and essentials were hard to come by, the boy his parents had lovingly raised. He also wanted to prove himself worthy of the love Steve and now, Felicity so freely gave him. And who knew, maybe someday he'd find himself a dame, as amazing and as loyal as Steve had.

::: ::: :::

Fandral stood next to Heimdall trying not too look overeager. Their plans to capture Loki and have him tried for his crimes didn't go as planned. As soon as Heimdall breeched the Bifrost Gate, Loki had fled the throne room. Thor even with Mojlnir's speed to aid him couldn't catch the traitor. He had found himself an ally in the Enchantress and her bodyguard. They'd opened a portal and disappeared before anyone could stop them.

Thor had parties searching all the realms but so far there was no sign of Loki.

When Heimdall was markedly closed lipped and unforthcoming, Fandral realized he'd have to be direct.

"How does she fare, my good friend?"

Heimdall didn't blink and continued to stare out into the glittering universe at their feet. After a long moment of silence he sighed. "As she is only half mortal I will tell you, she would do better with instruction from her father and weapons better suited to her hands."

Fandral's face a lit with an idea. "Of course. How thoughtless of me. Of course she would need her own sword. One fit for a Valkyrie. Worthy of a Champion of Asgard. And a most prized steed as well."

Heimdall opened his mouth to interject that was going too far since she would hardly be inconspicuous riding a Pegasus as was the chosen steed of all Valkyrie but the man was already gone. Impulsive rogue, he was still as troublesome as their beloved Prince once was. He wondered how many more centuries would pass before he would learn temperance and caution. Perhaps Felicity would teach him. Heimdall cracked a glimmer of a smile before his face turned stoic once more. He did worry for the child. Shadows circled her day and night. Most worrisome was the man posing as her husband. He saw many troubling things as an all see-er but as was the weight of the gift, it was not his place to share his observations with anyone but the King of Asgard. Perhaps when Thor next came to him, he would tell him of the growing threat he'd seen on Midgard. Thor had only asked him to watch for movement from Thanos and any threats to Jane. So far the mortal woman was safe and Thanos' attention remained focused on capturing the stones. He's stealth forces were planning a strategic raid on Nova Prime. He would have to advise Thor on that too. His silent pondering didn't remain so for long.

"A bridge to the Dwarf Kingdom, Gatekeeper," an enthusiastic voice proclaimed. So Fandral the Dashing had returned post haste.

"I hope you remembered a worthy exchange for fair payment," Heimdall cautioned.

"He will not go alone, Heimdall. The Dwarves should meet with the new King of Asgard."

"Just so, My King," Heimdall said, with a bow. "A word upon your return."

Thor acknowledged his request and smiled fondly at Fandral's nerves. The man was smiling and pacing. To see his charming, old friend so undone was humorous. To think he could be so turned, not by a beauty he wished to bed but by a half mortal woman he only wished to protect and cherish. He laughed to himself. A few years ago it was he who had surprised his friends by forgetting immortality and lost his heart to a mortal. They were strong, loyal, passionate and surprising these mortals. Thor was happy for Fandral and proud for him too, for Felicity was a rare character of bravery and loyalty. As intelligent as she was beautiful. Much like Jane in that sense. But with the hidden strength of a warrior and a passion for justice that Mojlnir had sensed. Perhaps he could ask the dwarves to enchant her weapon to harness the power of thunder so she wouldn't feel compelled to relieve him of his weapon when she had dire need. It was with that thought on his mind that they made their journey via the Bifrost.

::: :::

**Skrull Warship, orbiting Saturn, hidden in the shadow of Tethys**

"How many orbital defense systems are there?"

The electrical probe hit him again. Right in that spot the other green creature had stabbed him in yesterday. At least he thought it was yesterday. All the days ran together now. It was a blur of pain and extreme fatigue. His mind was dulling under the lack of rest and nourishment. They had known of the damage to his heart and they had allowed him to fully heal before they had begun his interrogation.

Other memories were foggy and hard to pull up now, but he still remembered when he first laid eyes on them. It was the day he'd realized that not every being out in the galaxy looked like Thor. And he begun to appreciate the real complexities and dangers of Kay's job. The man had always threatened to show him. Yet, these creatures weren't frightening in appearance. They were just relentless and brutal. Sadistic in their enjoyment of his suffering. But he didn't give them the satisfaction of breaking his spirit. Even if the first thing they'd taken was the simple cloth band around his finger.

"Your wife, she's quite beautiful, yes. Fierce, passionate and young. She would bear strong offspring."

"You won't touch her," Steve growled, his entire body thrumming with anger and he pulled with all his might against his bonds. But the metal cuffs wouldn't give an inch and he felt the skin of his hands and arms tear against his pulling.

The Skrull leaned over him and smiled cruelly. "We did not know you had a wife. It almost foiled our plans but another agent we had in place, suggested a new course of action and everything has come along quite nicely. Perhaps, I will ask them to send us footage, yes? Would that make you more cooperative? Should I ask them to be gentle?"

Steve felt his heart threatening to burst out of his chest. Fear for Felicity, what they might do to her. He tried to remind himself she could fight, she was strong and she was surrounded by their friends who would die to protect her, but all he could think was that he wasn't there. And these creatures knew who she was and from his taunts, it seemed like they already had her within their reach. "If you have any honor, you will leave her alone."

"You are in no position to negotiate. And your blue planet will be ours. It has been foretold. If your kind do not yield, you will fall. I can offer you a position of worth if you submit to us now."

Steve could read from the superior air in his posture, and the dark gleam in the creature's eyes, that it was an empty promise. Steve prayed for Felicity's safety and held his chin high. "I will not yield. And neither will Earth's people."

"Tales of your endurance and your strength are renown. We saw with our own eyes how quickly you recovered from your wounds. Let us put your conviction to the test, shall we? Perhaps if we were to bring your wife here, you would be more cooperative."

Steve clung to the belief that Kay and their friends wouldn't fail in their defense of Earth and Felicity. And he would stay strong, resist, and wait for an opening, an opportunity to escape. They were an arrogant race. Not one of the creatures he'd encountered, showed any measure of humility or compassion.

"How many are part of your resistance and what is the chain of command?"

The voltage was turned up when he refused to speak. When he didn't answer again, his interrogator grew tired of his obstinacy. "Perhaps another will loosen your tongue."

It was the first time he'd seen a female of their kind. She was tall and delicately formed in contrast to their heavier, more muscular builds. "Hello, Mr. Rogers. I understand you're giving our technicians all manner of trouble. Perhaps I can appeal to you. There is no need for this," she waved at his bloodied and bruised body. "Do you think your silence protects her? She already revealed herself to your world. She is subject to the same laws as everyone else. She is no longer even in hiding. We could take her at anytime, but for the moment we have allowed her freedom. Your continued stubbornness will make things difficult for her. Felicity Rogers, Class Level: A. Category: Asgardian, Powers: Increased Strength, Superhuman Endurance, Medium Level Invulnerability. Skills: Weapons training, proficient in various fighting styles. She is registered. Your government has given us all we need to know to be able to successfully hunt down the superhumans of your planet. Earth's defenses without your heroes will fall quickly under the infiltration of our operatives. We are giving you a chance. You have my guarantee that we will not touch your wife, if you will work with us."

"My wife would never register. And she would never give up protecting those who took refuge with us."

"Play the transmission," she said with and impatient wave of her hand.

A holographic display appeared before him and played Felicity's public address from Capitol Hill. He could see Thor and his warriors, Oliver and John standing in sentinel support of her. He watched his heart aching in his chest at the sight of her after so long. How beautiful she was in her grief and anger. He saw the pain in her eyes, the rawness of her emotions. He understood what had driven her to this. She honestly believed she was fighting on alone. "With her family around, you'll never touch her."

The female smiled cruelly. "The god of Thunder and his warriors are not on Earth. Neither is the being, The Vision. Your wife is alone."

Steve felt a chill throughout his body. Kay promised him that if he fell, that he would protect Felicity. He promised that he would keep her safe. Even send her to Asgard. Why would Kay let her remain on Earth, if Thor and her father had returned for her and he was no longer around to support her himself. "The Asgardians are not her only allies," he said firmly, hoping his doubts didn't betray him.

"No, they're not. And yet, it won't save her. Should I demonstrate how close we can get to her. Next transmission."

Steve froze as the footage revealed a sleeping Felicity. The lighting was extremely low. He could just make out her face from the street lights playing through the window. If she had registered why hadn't she moved back into the Avengers Tower? It had much better security and was home to more than one superhero in residence at any point in time. It was also the recharge station for the Iron Legion. She'd be well protected. The place actually looked familiar though. He'd seen this room before. It took him a moment to recall it. Then it hit him. Natasha and he had stayed there when they'd been on the run from S.H.I.E.L.D, it was Sam's townhouse. She was staying with Sam. Perhaps it was the only place she felt safe. Sam wasn't listed, and he also wasn't subject to the Registration Act but it was terrifying to see that none of that had made a difference in keeping her safe. These creatures had been in her room while she was sleeping. He wanted to rage and scream. He desperately wished there was some way he could warn her. Closing his eyes, he prayed fervently that their Creator would keep her safe.

"I will give you a few hours to think about it," she said quietly. "Perhaps you would like to watch a while longer."

Steve opened his eyes, his heart thundering behind his ribs. The footage wasn't a snap shot. It went on for hours. It was only when he saw Felicity get up that he realized it was merely a recording device, not someone actually standing over her. He wasn't sure if that eased his discomfort in the slightest. He had to find a way to free himself and get back to her. She needed to be warned. If she knew the danger she could better defend herself.

His captors watched on from behind their observation window and spoke in their native tongue.

"Our operative has not been able to get her alone. She is well accompanied. We only just learned her place of residence this week. Her address was not on any record. Our replica of her bedroom and using a morph for now perhaps might induce the progress we require. We need to know how many of their superhumans remain underground and what resistance we must prepare for. The Captain knows. Our Queen has authorized the use of whatever methods required. If we cannot obtain his wife, we will use the decoy to persuade him."

::: ::: :::

The knock at the door interrupted her washing up in the kitchen. "Just a minute." Felicity toweled her hands dry and went to answer the front door. She couldn't have been more surprised to discover who was on the other side. "Steve?"

He looked at her shyly, and held out a bunch of flowers. "I heard they were your favorites."

Felicity took the peonies he offered and stood to the side to let him in. "What are you doing here?"

His cheeks flushed pink. "I... I know I haven't made an effort to get to know you but I learned, from the others, that we... that I... you're my wife, Felicity. You are carrying my child and I realize that if I'm ever going to live a full life, not just one that the government wants for me, then I should start trying to get those memories back."

Felicity felt her heart racing. She tightened her hands around the bouquet and fiddled with the ribbon holding it all together. He followed her as she went to the kitchen to find a vase. While she filled it with water, she tried to calm the rapid racing of her heart. Why now? He'd been in therapy for months now. In the beginning he'd ignored her only listening to orders passed along by General Scudder's men. Later after seeing doctors she'd approved, he had started acknowledging her, even been polite, cordial. They'd made a passing acquaintance but it had never developed to anything more than that. She didn't even feel any interest from him, in her romantically that is. If anything, he seemed to watch Carol with a casual, yet significant lingering gaze. It hurt her, so she tried her best to make her visits to the Tower brief. Only going on days when she knew she could meet up with Natasha and Bruce or Bucky. In the early days of Steve's return, she had believed if she made herself available, present, that it may trigger memories. But after weeks of nothing, she had given up hope.

So to find him here now, it threw her off balance. She was afraid to hope, and doubt started to cloud her senses. "I... it's been so long. Where do we even begin? You are not the man, I married. The man I fell in love with, stood beside and fought for would never have let himself be turned into a propaganda front. Steve Rogers is a man of principle, integrity and stands for those who can not protect themselves."

Steve touched her hand where it rested on the table top between them. "Show me then, Felicity. Help me."

His touch which had once brought her comfort, felt foreign and cold to her now. She slipped her hand from under his gentle grasp and hugged herself, raising from her stool. "Perhaps we could start with a simple dinner. James visits on Friday nights. We could make it a group dinner. Just the four of us. Bucky is your oldest friend and Sam, well outside the team, he's known you and worked with you the longest."

He looked disappointed at her offer. "I was hoping I could take you out to dinner. Maybe see a movie?" he asked his face and his voice hopeful.

A loud rapping noise caught her attention and two faces she didn't expect to see framing her kitchen door window, had her beaming from ear to ear. She threw the door open and Thor returned her barrel hug and bestowed her with a fond grin.

"We come bearing gifts," her father said, doing his best to hide his hurt that he wasn't the first she had greeted.

Felicity pulled from Thor's arms and kissed Fandral's cheek and threaded her arm through his and suddenly it mattered little. Thor had gotten a hug, he'd gotten a kiss and his daughter's arm.

Thor gripped Steve's arm and thumped him on the back. "I see nothing can keep the Captain down. You were sorely missed, my friend. I am glad to find you in good health. Felicity, you sent no word to us that Steve Rogers is recovered and returned to you."

Felicity nervously tucked her escaping strands of hair behind her ears and chewed on her bottom lip before answering. "I... Well a lot has happened, and Hydra put Steve through a lot. He doesn't even remember me. You're probably throwing him for a loop," she said gesturing at Thor and her father's appearances.

"Actually, S.H.I.E.L.D has profiles for all of them. You're missing your usual group," he said with a nod at Fandral. His eyes narrowing at how closely Felicity stood next to the Asgardian.

"I came to visit my daughter," he said with an authroitive air. "That warrants no invitation. However for a man to forget his wife, I should say that requires a chaperone, to insure nothing untoward becomes of my only daughter. I gave no blessing and since you do not wear a wedding ring, or the air of a man I deem worthy of Felicity, I should have you know, I'll be staying. Until such a time as you prove yourself the man Thor speaks highly of, or my daughter deems you her beloved."

Felicity's jaw dropped and her face heated. "Fandral."

"Father, if you please. And it is my right as head of my house to make such a declaration." To Steve, he said, "Did you make your intentions known to anyone of note before you wed my daughter?"

"I have no memories from before," Steve protested.

"Then no such acts took place. If you do not remember the promises you made, then you are not my daughter's life bonded. Thor?"

Thor shook his head slowly, at a loss to argue against Fandral's arguments. "I'm sorry, Felicity. I was not present when you wed and as is custom, a family member or an offical of high rank must preside or witness the ceremony for it to be validated according to Asgardian law."

"But Kay married us," Felicity pointed out her inner distress showing through her tone. Steve might not remember but she hadn't forgotten and those memories were all she had to keep her going these days. No matter what Thor or her father said, she and Steve were married. "And Steve talked to him and my mother before he asked me."

Fandral frowned. "Kay is your mother's cousin. The discontented fellow, always scowling."

Felicity slapped her father's chest lightly. "Yes, he's always serious but he's not grumpy."

"Felicity, be that as it may. I wish to stay. For as long as you'll allow. Asgard is in no immediate danger and knowing that your husband is not who he once was concerns me. I wish only for your safety and happiness."

Felicity huffed a loud sigh. As irked as she was with their high handed approach to how things were between her and Steve. Or more so, how they weren't any longer, she couldn't argue that they didn't have her best interest at heart. Poor Steve, he was going to have to go about winning over her family all over again. He'd done it with little trouble last time. What could the harm be?

Steve stewed silently, cursing inwardly that his plans to lure Felicity away from her protectors had failed so spectacularly. Even his attempt to learn more about her and their past relationship, or their allies still in hiding had been foiled by a meddling artificially intelligent program of all things.

However today's trip hadn't been without its merits. He'd learned exactly who Felicity's father was and a new player on the game board, who was this mysterious Kay that they all seemed to know well, but he'd only just heard of today. All he could gather from their discussion was that he was related to Felicity's mother and that he'd presided over their wedding and his status was recognised both on Earth as an officer of law and on Asgard. Certainly curious. It was something he would note in his report to Command.

::: ::: :::

Jay pulled up outside the inconspicuous townhouse while noting the glaring large Asgardian symbol scorched into the road. He chanced a glance at Kay and startled at the glare he was wearing, it was hard enough to cut glass. He was eyeing a certain bike they were parked behind like he wanted to blast it into plasma.

"When it rains, it pours. Alien Mark Clean-up. Check in with the neighbors and give me five minutes inside."

Jay watched Kay pull out a slim case from the glove compartment that he'd never even seen him put in.

Kay snapped fingers. "Glasses." Jay scrambled to comply before he hesitated in relinquishing them.

"I thought we agreed no more Nueralyzing? I think my headaches are because of all the years of random microwaving you been doin'."

"Your headaches are from your poor hydration habits. And I'm not Neuralyzing you today. Unless you do something or see something you'll beg me to let you forget....Five minutes."

Barely through the door, Kay pressed the glasses into Felicity's hands and waited a second for her to put them on before he flashed everyone in the room. Once everyone else were stunned and in the Asgardians case, frozen and sparkling, Kay opened the case he'd been carrying and urged Felicity to put the head device on.

"Seeing is believing." Kay watched as Felicity looked up and he caught the moment she saw the true nature of the man/creature seated at her kitchen table. Watching her face, he couldn't help but agree with Oliver's caution. He should have found a way to tell her sooner. Sometimes his inexperience and lack of social skills became glaringly obvious. Jay was his only constant in both worlds, and even though the younger man was always upbeat, passionate about the job and a real cowboy in his attitude to everything, Jay was starting to show the strain of not having a life outside the job. "Your friend Oliver believes you're a better actress than I do. Honey, they can't know we're on to them but I also couldn't leave you, unprepared. Word on the wire says they'd love to get their hands on an Asgardian. They're breeding Super Skrulls to take on the Superhumans. Watch your back, okay."

Felicity numbly handed back the sunglasses and the mind thingy that had just blown her world apart but had suddenly made everything so clear. "Do you think he's still alive?" she said her voice barely more than a terrified whisper.

Kay gripped her shoulder and kissed her forehead quickly. He looked her in the eyes and offered her what hope he could. "You know he is. And as long as they think he's useful and that you buy this charade. He'll stay as safe as he can be at their hands."

Felicity trembled, turning to stare in fear at the creature she now knew was wearing her husband's face. "I would rather tear him apart right now and find Steve, than play their game," she said angrily.

Kay sighed wearily and loosened his hold on her. "If I had a way to make it happen, without raising red flags. Something in their DNA allows them to build an intolerance to the effects of the Nueralyzer. I've been investigating since we discovered their plans and we haven't located all their cells and we still don't know how many ships they have nearing our orbit. I've been building a team within MiB. I haven't been able to screen everyone yet. From what I've learned, the infiltration isn't at full scale, but there's no telling who they've replaced. They tried with me months ago. Glasses," he prompted. He flashed the imposter again and continued his conversation. "I brought your Dr. Strange, Queen and Mr. Diggle into the plan. We're pooling our Intel and our resources. We don't know the extent of the infiltration or their attack date but we know it's coming. Their first step was to take out all the big threats. I'm working to cloak our orbiting defense grid. It's my top priority. If they have warships out there we don't want them landing."

Felicity nodded, her whole body numb. "What do I do with him?"

"You told me he's playing amnesiac. Foster it. Treat him like he needs support but keep him at arm's length."

"I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm glad Fandral's decided to go overprotective father on me."

Kay glanced at the frozen Asgardian. "He'll live to impress me yet. Still won't say I like the man."

Felicity snorted. "Course not. You're just more alike than you think. First words out of his mouth today was if Steve ever asked for parental blessing for his offer of marriage." She rolled her eyes and folded her arms giving Kay a pointed look.

"I'll admit, he's growing on me," Kay deadpanned. "Be safe, honey. I have to go." Before heading for the door, he stopped at glared hard at Skrull Steve. "You never saw me today. You're actually second guessing what even brought you here in the first place. You don't know this woman and it could compromise your mission if she was ever to suspect your true intentions."

Kay stepped outside and turned his face to the sky. "Can't say I ever want to meet you. You ticked me off one two many times over the years but I will say thank you. Your timing is impeccable."

In Asgard, Heimdall gave one of Midgard's bravest mortal protectors a nod of respect.

Felicity waited for her guests to come out of their tranced state. When it was obvious Thor and Fandral were going to take longer, she muscled them into her bedroom and left them on her bed.

She was making tea and set a cup down in front of Steve when he blinked slowly and met her eyes.

"I guess I should be going. I have a mission briefing in an hour."

Felicity tried not to let her expression show how she didn't buy that lie. Bucky only just spoken of returning the suit yesterday and according to doctors reports, Steve still had two field performance reviews before they'd clear him for active status. Besides, earlier he had been in no great hurry to leave her alone. "That's fine. We can talk about dinner another time."

"Actually, I think you're right. I'm moving too fast. Maybe we can hang out in the Tower sometime. Perhaps after training you could stay and play some checkers with me."

Felicity forced her lips into a smile. Steve had always liked checkers but this Skrull was selling it with overkill. He wasn't the artist Steve was, he'd scratched his head at her gift and she knew for a fact he'd never touched it since he'd opened it, and the one time she'd caught a look at his breakfast, she swore never to ask him to cook. Dill pickles and strawberry yoghurt. Even her pregnancy cravings weren't that wild. She was screaming internally that she hadn't thought on all the clues before now. It wasn't as though they'd never seen shapeshifters or metas with cloning/ multiplying ability before.

"I'll see you around at the tower sometime then," she promised.

When he left, she sagged and closed her eyes in relief.

"Where did he go?" Fandral exclaimed, his disappointment obvious. "And how did we come to be in your room?"

Felicity cracked a small smile, wondering just what her father had planned for the Skrull. "He had work. Stay as long as you like by the way. I welcome the company. From a house crowded to the rafters for months to this place where I'm alone most of the day, it's too quiet."

::: ::: :::

**The Peak, S.W.O.R.D. Cloaked Orbiting Space Station**

"Alien Space Ship to S.W.O.R.D command, this is Captain Steve Rogers, we have taken this vessel. We are being pursued by enemy attack ships, requesting cover fire and permission to enter Earth's airspace." 

Phil immediately crossed the bridge to the communications station. "That's Captain Rogers' voice. I'd recognize it anywhere. Open a channel, and request Agent ID to confirm."

"Sir, we know that Captain Rogers hasn't been cleared for active duty yet, and he's at Avengers Tower in New York. Why would he be on that ship?"

"You're not paid to speculate, agent. Open a channel and relay my message." A firearm pressed into his back, caused Phil to put his hands up, he glanced over his shoulder to see an alien shift from the regular form of Agent Brand, his second-in-command. 

"Delay that order, brother. Commander Coulson, S.W.O.R.D officers, surrender your weapons and step away from your stations. Now."

Phil watched as only half of his agents left their posts. The others remained seated. Behind him, the alien Brand, nodded at the weapons officer. "Take out that warship. He can not reach the planet. For our Queen and our people."

"For the Free Skrulls," came the united answer.

"Put them in the brig," the Skrull female commanded.

::: ::: :::

Steve studied the controls before him and tried to guess which of the alien symbols could mean communication. He was hoping this head device he had put on came with an open radio mic. "Command please respond. S.W.O.R.D Command please confirm, there are human prisoners aboard this ship, we have overpowered our captors and require immediate assistance. Please advise."

"Approaching Skrull Warship, your are in breech of Earth's orbit and you are not cleared for entry. If you halt your approach, we will defend your position. Prepare to be boarded for inspection."

Steve didn't recognize the voice. He'd expected to hear from Phil. "System warnings show were are being targetted. We can not hold our position."

Sue Storm, who they'd found in suspended animation was coming around slowly. Apparently she'd been held captive by this race before and following this experience those memories were coming back, along with the knowledge to understand and read the Skrull language. "They're preparing weapons. S.W.O.R.D have locked onto our position and we are still being pursued," she said breathlessly. She still couldn't stand on her own and a fellow captive S.H.I.E.L.D agent, he only knew by sight, was helping her to walk. 

The decks below had been full of prisoners. As he'd escaped his holding room, Steve had freed anyone he'd come upon, along with Felicity. She was currently in the ship's engineering deck, trying to divert all the power they could spare to their shields while tried to shake their pursers.

Suddenly a firefight broke out behind them. The three fellow captives that had been standing guarding by the door were shot down as Felicity and a group of armed Skrulls entered the bridge.

"Step away from the ship controls," she said with a hard edge to her voice. "I didn't endure torture, for you to destroy years of preparation and sacrifice our people have suffered to find a new home."

Steve lifted his hands from the controls. Sue cast him a worried look, glancing between them. Sue had joined the Resistance late, only a month before he was shot but she knew them both. And from what she had said, about her abduction, she had only been taken recently. She said the Skrull way was to morph and mimic, to deceive and manipulate their test subjects. They wanted Earth for their own and knew after their first attempt at invasion that humans were stronger and more surprisingly resourceful and resilient than they anticipated. They retreated and tried a new strategy. A secret invasion. Even Sue noticed that Felicity wasn't acting like the Felicity they knew.

Before Steve could figure out a plan, someone took out the Skrull soldiers and Felicity from behind. He was startled to see a battered and furious looking Agent Morse holding a smoking alien weapon. 

"I'd say haul ass, Rogers. Before more of these guys get wise that their prisoners have taken over the ship."

Even though the truth of their duplicity was staring lifelessly at him, he couldn't shake the chill that had entered his body since they'd brought her into his room only moments ago. She'd been frightened and disorientated. Her lip was bleeding and there were fresh bruises on her arms and her cheek. He'd assumed she'd given them a hell of a fight trying to capture and subdue her. 

He'd given her a silent signal and with strength he didn't know he had, he broke the cuff restricting his ankle and hooked his leg around the officer nearest his table. It was over and they were running seconds later. He used the Skrull as a shield and picked his pocket for the control to release his other cuffs. Once he was free, he took out the other guards and fled with Felicity out of that room. They had split up after releasing more prisoners. She had taken a small group of captives with her to the engine level so that their captors wouldn't shut them down before they even had a chance to escape. 

"Sue, are we still in control of the ship? Did she sabotage the engines," he asked following that train of thought. 

"I wouldn't know what to look for, but I can tell you how to look." She indicated to the panel in front of him. "There."

Steve followed her instructions.

"She's prompted a fuel dump. The reserves are at 20 %. She also sent out a distress beacon and alerted all levels. There are fires on several decks."

"Can we stop it?" Sue was ahead of him and was already punching in commands. Steve cracked a smile. "I thought you didn't know what to do?"

Sue shrugged while leaning heavily against the panel. "Fast learner, also, married to a certified genius."

::: ::: :::

**On the surface**

Across the globe, a mass signal went out. "Timetable has moved up. Initiate End Game.

Skrull Invisible Woman entered her husband's lab and shut down all safety protocols that kept the gate to the Negative Zone restricted to the wormhole's stabilizing arch. Slowly it began to expand, swallowing everything in it's path.

Skrull Lyla Michaels, climbed the stairs to the attic that led to the door to Earth. When she entered the basement of Kay's safehouse, she set a charges all over the floor. The timer set to two minutes.

Skrull Agent Morse opened her safe underneath her desk and armed a targeting device. The controls for six GBU-43 missles. Locking in coordinates, she timed the launch for ten minutes. She took her side-arm, her coat and her keys and left the office. Ten minutes would be enough time to clear the blast radius.

A Skrull operative within MI-6 went to the lowest level, just above the catacombs beneath Big Ben and used his security clearance to enter the science lab. Taking out the scientist on duty, he entered the restricted lab and armed the prototype bio-weapon. It was untested and unstable. Once activated it would not be disarmed. Any being with living tissue within the blast radius would soon be microwaved, leaving buildings untouched. 

In Russia, a Skrull operative within Hydra activated two reverse engineered Stark Jericho Missiles, equipped with new long range propulsion. Their targets, NATO command and Israel's Mossad HQ.

On an island off the coast of Africa, a female Skrull with short black hair entered the engineering level of a large facility and armed a device that would cause the facility's own power source to overload. Frying everything within its destructive blast radius, which encompassed most of the inhabited part of the island.

::: ::: :::

Felicity was training with Natasha when her cellphone sung with a ringtone she hadn't heard in awhile. She bowed out of the fight, and picked up her phone.

"Phil, long time no speak."

"Felicity, we have a Code Black situation at S.W.O.R.D. And from the sounds of things, Steve might have just forced their hand. I was able to clone my phone before they took it and I don't have long before they'll probably trace this signal. We have a Skrull Invasion. Contact MiB, they'll know what protocols to inti...."

The call was cut short.

Felicity looked up at Natasha in alarm, who had overheard everything. "What do we do?"

"Call Kay. I'll get the team ready."

With harried fingers, Felicity made her call while she watched Natasha disappear from the room.

"Felicity, way ahead of you, honey. Intercepted a transmission from ten minutes ago..."

Felicity fell to the mat when she heard Steve's voice. It was as though she'd been waiting forever to hear him and only functioning, holding herself together all this time, just waiting for this moment. She blinked, her cheeks wet. She hadn't even realized she was crying. "So he's up there, without back up?" Phil wasn't in command of S.W.O.R.D they'd already been taken over.

"We're still in control of our orbiting defense. I can get the override codes. I can get him to input the frequency and it will allow the alien ship to pass through without tearing it apart. "

"But that doesn't stop S.W.O.R.D from shooting him out of the sky." 

"Diggle is on that. He's heading there now to provide our people with support."

"What do you want me to do?" she said reminding herself to keep breathing, in and out. Was the room moving, it felt like it was spinning.

"We're tracking their approach. Their angle isn't good for re-entry, either they've suffered engine damage or they haven't got enough fuel make a slow trajectory. They're going to hit hard and somewhere over Nevada. Knowing your guy, he'll try to aim for the least populated area."

"I'll scramble a jet. Natasha can fly us. Any chance you can keep the skies clear?"

"No promises darlin' but I'll do my best."

::: ::: :::

What she didn't expect to find was a face-off between Natasha and Carol going on in the team briefing room. 

An explosion momentarily rocked the tower. Felicity looked out the windows to see a ball of smoke and fire erupt from Lower Manhattan. The safe house. She picked up her phone, but even before the exchange could tell her, she knew that there would be no answer. She hadn't even thought to warn them. But Dig knew, why hadn't he told anyone, prepared some kind of contingency. Felicity prayed that Lyla and Sara were safe. That somehow maybe Dr. Strange had shielded everyone from the blast. She had no idea if the explosion was on this end of the portal or had come through from the other side. The other side! Kay knew how to reach that dimension.

She dialled his number waiting for it to connect when another explosion rocked the tower. This time she watched in horror as a small mushroom plume filled the sky over midtown. A sinking feeling in her stomach told her she knew its origin. Even as the call continued to ring, she mentally riled against the thought that Kay might have been at HQ when it had been blown off the map.

"We're under attack," Carol yelled. "Maria hailed an SOS from S.H.I.E.L.D, the hellicarrier is about to fall out of the sky and someone just opened a growing wormhole where the top of the Baxter Building used to be and you want us to chase down some random lead about an alien invasion?"

Natasha looked furious, and Bruce was standing at her shoulder, ready to back her up if Carol decided to get heavy handed. 

"I can't get Kay," Felicity interjected, "I know that the safe house was hit and we have got a rogue alien ship headed for Nevada. Tasha, I need you to fly us out there."

Steve looked between them all, his face impassive. "I say we stay here and defend New York. Two bombs have already gone off, who knows how many more."

"JARVIS, access the G.I.D.I.O.N matrix, what does our intel say about our skies," Felicity asked.

"Unidentified vessels approaching Earth's orbit. The closest of them entering at a steep decent. Probable destination, 150 miles just north of Dixie Valley, Nevada."

"That ship, according to my source is full of human captives. We need to intercept and provide support, before the enemy can find them first. I'm not an Avenger, Carol. I don't answer to you. I also don't need permission to fly out of here. I have my own set of wings for that."

Carol bristled, and folded her arms. "JARVIS lock down the stairwell to the roof and shutdown lift access."

Felicity walked out to the balcony. And whistled as loud as she could. Within a few minutes, she heard a familiar beat of wings. She smiled in surprise to see her father sitting on top of her Pegasus. 

"She certainly couldn't get herself out of that garage you hid her in. Where are we going?"

Felicity got on behind him and held on. "To get my armor. Tasha, I texted you the coordinates, and a message for you to hear. You know where I'm going to be."

Natasha checked her phone and listened, her heart skipping a beat when she heard Steve's voice. She looked up to see the Captain wearing a grim expression. His fists curled.

"It's obviously a trap. And she's gone charging off headlong to it. I may not remember my past but she is my wife and she's carrying my child. I'm going after her."

"Are you up for it?" Natasha asked Bruce. 

"You know how I feel about being in the field, but I'm not letting our girl head into this alone. Even with her flying horse and that irritatingly charming Asgardian for back up."

Carol threw up her hands. "Avengers Assemble. We're providing Director Hill with immediate air support. Simon, you're flying the jet. Tony? Where the hell did Tony get to? Barnes, are you with us?"

"Sorry, Carol. I go where Steve goes."

Carol snorted in obvious irritation. "You two might as well be attached at the hip."

::: ::: :::

Felicity adjusted her armor. This was only the second time she'd worn it and she was thanking it's magical design that it seemed to have expanded to accommodate her pregnancy assets. It wasn't tight or uncomfortable. Just strange. She wasn't used to wearing metal. Especially alien metal.

"Would it fall on deaf ears for me to appeal to you, to stay clear until we can determine the danger?" Fandral asked.

Felicity shook her head. "We stay out of sight and provide support when it hits. We don't make a move unless we see trouble."

"Sensible plan." Fandral ducked low against Saefil, the silvery haired Pegasus cutting through the clouds at a tremendous pace. With her natural speed and gifted strength, they made a flight that would normally take hours, in half that. 

The central Nevada area was desolate and hot, with very little in the way of shelter but they managed to find an outcropping with a clear view of the plain just beyond the canyons.

It was another hour before they could see a sky battle taking place overhead. Smaller crafts targetted the larger one, with a similarly large craft in pursuit. Steadily closing the distance behind. A blast seemed to come out of nowhere and hit the side of the fast falling ship. Already entering Earth's atmosphere too fast, the ship began to come apart. 

Fighter jets out of Nevada Air Base were coming up to engage and Felicity knew that it would be over before they could land. Those captives would never made it home. Steve wouldn't make it.

"We have to run interference. The hull integrity is compromised and one more big hit and it's over."

"I'll try to keep the fighters off them. Do you think you can give us extra cover?"

Felicity goggled at him. "With what? I wish I could manipulate the weather like Storm but I can't."

Fandral gave her a secret smile and nodded to her sword. "Dragonfang is Mojlnir's twin, in sword form. Reach toward the sky and call on the elements. Thor's King's gift to you, my daughter. You are worthy of spirit. Protect your people."

Her mouth still ajar, she stared after him as he took to the sky on her magnificent horse. She looked at the inconspicuous but ornately crafted sword at her hip. Unsheathing the blade, she held it aloft, watching as the late afternoon sun played off the pristine surface. "Dragonfang, it's up to us," she whispered. "Aid my father, give him cover from our enemies. Let our people reach the ground alive."

Above her grey clouds began to gather and swirl in the sky behind the approaching warship. Thunder rolled and boomed and lighting flashed. One bolt took out an alien attack ship and Felicity smiled. She was beginning to understand why Thor loved his Hammer so much. The power and it's force was an inspiring and heady thing.

Fandral dispatched the jets, clipping wing flaps and turbines, letting their operators eject. The cover Felicity had provided had kept the enemy ships at bay and he watched as the warship crash landed below, before making his own descent.

::: ::: :::

Oliver had an arrow nocked and drawn before Hope could draw her side arm. 

"So you knew, even before you gave me the device."

"Not for sure," he said carefully. "We screen everyone who comes here, but I didn't screen you or Scott because you guys helped me build this place. You were there from the start. Or were you? When did you have her replaced?"

"It doesn't matter. You have to let me go. This place is going up. You can go with it, or you can leave too."

"You're not going anywhere. Whatever you've done, disarm it."

"What's going on?" Scott interjected, seeing Oliver aiming his bow at Hope.

Hope used the distraction to get her gun up. "What's faster. A bullet or an arrow?" She turned the gun on Scott and fired. All those months of having to fake being in love with him, pushing her to target him first.

Scott activated his suit and the bullet harmlessly sailed through displaced air where he'd once been standing.

Oliver let his arrow fly and it pierced the imposter's shoulder. "Where is Hope van Dyne?"

"For the kingdom. For our people." With a single tear slipping out of the corner of her eye, she morphed to her natural form and turned the gun on herself. 

No one heard Scott scream in his miniaturized form, but he dropped to his knees as her body hit the ground. He returned to full size and lifted the face plate. It was surreal what had just played out in front of him. "This can't be real." He looked up at Oliver, his eyes red and haunted. "Who is she?"

"She's planted a bomb somewhere on the island. I've been watching her since I lured her with the information about a secret alien invasion and a fake alien detection device."

"There's more of them here? You didn't think to tell me? And where's the real Hope or does she not exist."

"I choose to believe she's out there, somewhere. I don't know how long or when but they replaced her. I suspected she was one of them when her first instinct was to take the device apart to study it."

"How much time do you think we have?"

"Not enough. We've got to get everyone off the island."

Scott sighed. "I knew you were going to say that." 

Even using the evacuation siren, and everyone running for the beach the furthest point from the compound, Oliver knew after doing a head count following the massive explosion that shook the ground and filled the sky with white light, that not everyone had made it. And without the device that had been damaged during their speedy escape through the dense forest, he had no way of knowing if they were still among the enemy.

::: ::: :::

The hard impact obliterated what was left of the protective force field shields that they'd diverted to the nose of the ship once the hull had been breached. They had most of their people secured in the holding cells in the middle of the ship. They were the most fortified and would survive the impact with the least amount of damage. The small team that remained with him in the cockpit, Sue, Ted Burke, a high-ranking S.H.I.E.L.D agent and Morse, who Steve still wasn't entirely sure he could trust not to try and arrest him the second they landed took cover under the command panel seconds before they hit.

Glass, metal and debris was everywhere. Smoke made it hard to see and breathe. He knew for the fading glittering blue dome that Sue had shielded them herself, seconds before impact. Loud voices filled the air.

He had seconds to find something to get behind before energy blasts boomed all around them.

Felicity had seen the S.H.I.E.L.D jets approaching from a distance, but hadn't anticipated a hive-like offensive. Iron Legion sentinels opened fire and split what was left of the hull like tin foil. 

Calling the lightening again, she struck down as many of them as she could manage. With her free hand, she called Tony on her sat. phone. "Call them off now!" she screamed at him.

"Not deaf, and I can't. My armor's been compromised. I'm not in control."

"Damn it, Tony. Can you get out of your suit? I don't want to have to flash-fry you!"

"No can do, kiddo. What part of not in-control, didn't compute? Ahhh....damn it...I've been cut off from JARVIS. I'm in the dark."

"Then how I'm talking to you?"

"I don't know, glitch?"

Felicity brightened. "Glitch. More like oversight. They needed an open channel to task the suit and the Legion. It's part of whatever virus they've uploaded into the system." She set her phone on the ground on loud speaker and got out her tablet. After she found the signal, it took less than a minute to hack it, and reboot Tony's system. You'll probably hit the ground before JARVIS has you back in control but it couldn't be helped. Sorry."

"Don't sound so happy about it."

Felicity smirked a little, knowing he wouldn't see her. "Don't make me regret helping you. Keep those aliens away from my husband."

"Yes, ma'am." There was a loud thunk and clanging noise and a groan from Tony. "And ow..."

Felicity cut the call and tucked her tablet and phone away. An inhuman roar had her scrambling up from her knees and picking up her sword. She scanned the plain, searching for the sound. Her heart pounding in her chest, she had a feeling she knew that sound. It was the Hulk.

It only took a second to see that there was something wrong with the Hulk. He was smashing through obstacles indiscriminately. Aliens, the Avengers team that operated out of Vegas and the people pouring out of the ship were all targets.

Her father was circling low, trying to shepherd Hulk's rampage away from the survivors of the crash. Now that her storm had cleared, the large ship was coming in to land and attack ships were swooping down and firing on them.

Seems Tony was online again, because he had the Legion switch targets and go after the attack ships. 

In the middle of the battlefield, fighting Captain America of all people, she saw Steve. He was shaggy, had a full beard and looked pale and undernourished, but he was alive. There would be no reasoning with the Army troops on approach or the New Avengers. All they saw was the enraged Hulk, and supposed alien invaders.

Sue Storm was trying to shield as many around her as she could but it looked like she was tiring, and not at full strength to begin with.

S.H.I.E.L.D agents seemed to be fighting each other and from where she stood, it even looked like known superhumans were turning on each other. In that moment, she decided, the only thing she cared about was getting her friends off this battlefield. 

She whistled for Saefil. After she mounted behind him and quickly steered them to where Steve was fighting, she could hear her father's grunt of disapproval but he merely threw up his hands, when she disembarked right above them. In her fall, she attacked the Skrull impersonating her husband with a hard kick to the head before she unsheathed her sword again.

Before she could even say a word to Steve, she was tackled to the side. Her shoulder slammed against the ship's hull and she groaned but it didn't stop her from dodging the metal fist coming towards her head.

"Bucky," she screamed. From the expression of murder in his eyes and the mask covering the lower half of his face, she knew he was beyond her pleas.

Skrull Cap sat up and faced off against Steve, who'd collected the iconic shield while the man/thing wearing his face and his uniform was down. "Nanobot mind control. He can't hear you."

Felicity swallowed hard, as the smoke behind them cleared and she saw Natasha face down in the dirt. The S.H.I.E.L.D jet they must have flown in was a short distance away, engulfed in flames, the cockpit window smashed and a huge hole punched in the side. A Hulk-sized hole. 

Felicity used her shield to deflect another punch from Bucky. She could call the lightening. It would fry the nanobots but it would more than likely kill him too. Another Hulk roar gave her an idea. It was a long shot, but it was the only card she could play.

Her sword to the sky, while scrambling clear of Bucky's double punch. Felicity aimed the lightening for the Hulk.

It struck him in the head and traveled the length of his body. He turned to her in rage and his red eyes locked on his target even as the power of the lightening brought him to his knees.

Fandral alighted from Saefil and engaged Barnes before he could attack his daughter's exposed back. But no one could stop the Hulk when he ran at Felicity.

She thought she prepared herself for the impact, but who could really brace against the road train coming at you at more than 80 miles an hour.

Felicity felt the earth disappear from beneath her feet and the wind whip through her hair. She pressed her face close to his twitching, pounding. thick chest and dropped her weapons. Even as they soared higher into the sky from his jump, she threaded her hands into his hair and whispered his lullaby against the sweat and dirt soaked skin of his throat. She felt the air shift and knew they were falling again, the ground was coming up fast, and the giant hand he had around her tightened. He was preparing to smash. She closed her eyes and didn't stop humming against his skin. 

The Skrull swept Steve's legs out from under him. He'd been momentarily distracted by Felicity's desperately insane plan. And his heart had stopped when Hulk grabbed her. 

Natasha was coming to, the fighting edging closer to her position. She had a bleeding head wound and Steve could tell from her dazed expression that she had a concussion.

The Skrull who had finally revealed himself under the half mask, stood over him smugly. He had a firearm aimed at Steve's head. The shield had been kicked clear out of their reach in their last skirmish. "I'll enjoy finally putting down the great Steve Rogers. It was sickening trying to live up to their memories of you. No man is that adored. Look at you, fallible, weak, human. She was a fool to believe in you."

A glint of metal caught his eye between the clouds of dust and smoke. Felicity's sword. He had seen her summon the lightening with it. If it was like Thor's Hammer, would he even be able to wield it? What other option did he have. Faster than he'd ever moved in his life, he rolled clear of the Skrull's aim and pulled at the hilt of her sword, before thrusting it back through the chest of the Skrull behind him. Even as the creature fell with a gurgling breath, he still couldn't believe his wild attempt had proven successful.

Steve pulled the sword free and staggered over to Natasha. "Widow Bites. I need you to hit Bucky with as many as you think he can survive. He's been infected with nano-tech."

Natasha nodded in understanding. "Explains the shit that went down on the way here." After hearing the recording Felicity left for her, and seeing the determination on her friend's face, it had caused her to have her own doubts about the man they'd found on ice. She had pulled Bruce aside before they climbed into Tony's private elevator, that lead to the roof top. She told him to keep an eye on Rogers while she was flying. Obviously her warning hadn't been enough. "If you didn't kill that scum, I was going to tear him apart myself. No one messes with my family." She got to her feet on shakily legs and took a knee to steady her aim. Letting out a long exhale, she waited for an opening and threw four Widow Bites at Bucky's exposed neck.

The Winter Soldier shook under the electro-shock and collapsed, only narrowly avoiding getting decapitated by Fandral. Steve had to yell at the Asgardian to stop his next attack which would have been another death blow.

"I need to go after the Hulk," he said to Felicity's father. "The creature you were flying before. Will it know how to find her." 

Fandral nodded. "She does."

Natasha put a hand on Steve's arm. "Let me go with you. If he's still in rage, I might be the only one to get through to him."

At Fandral's call, Saefil landed gracefully next to them. She folded one wing to allow Steve to help Natasha up before climbing on behind her. "Bucky was being mind controlled before. He should be free now."

::: ::: :::

They found the Hulk a long distance away, he was sitting the waters edge of Ruby Lake. He was very still but breathing hard. The night chill was creeping in over the water and his warm breath was leaving him in great clouds of steam. 

"Hulk," Natasha said softly. 

He turned at the sound of her voice and Steve startled at the expression on his face. He never thought the Hulk could ever look like that. Tormented and broken. And there were tear tracks in the dirt on cheeks.

Natasha trembled where she sat before him. He didn't have to see her face to know what she was thinking, he was thinking the same. Where was Felicity and why hadn't Bruce shifted back if the Hulk was no longer in a rage or under mind control. Steve had one answer, but he didn't want to even consider it. Hulk was afraid. Bruce was afraid. And to Steve, that only meant one thing. Something had gone terribly wrong.

"Where is Felicity?" He dismounted even before the Pegasus touched down. The Hulk growled at him teeth bared, but actually flinched and shifted away, when he came closer. Steve realized he was still carrying the bloodied sword and set it down. He put his hands up and he felt Natasha next to him.

"No one is here to hurt you. And we know it's not your fault. That Skrull, the bad Cap, he did something to you and Barnes. Felicity didn't want to hurt you. But she had to get rid of the mind control," Natasha said gently, dropping her weapons as she drew closer. She kept her palms open and her arms out stretched. "Let us help you. We just want to know what happened." 

The Hulk shivered, and in moments Bruce sat in front of them cradling a limp body with a tangled mop of blonde hair in his arms. "I felt her and he remembered, he heard her but we were too high. We broke the fall but... she's... I couldn't hear her breathing and I couldn't sense a heart beat anymore..." Tears fell in growing trails down his face. 

Steve fell to his knees and inched closer, drawing Felicity out of Bruce's arms and setting her on the pebbled embankment. He pressed his fingers to her neck and searched for a pulse but couldn't find one. Tearing off the black t-shirt, he'd been able to find after escaping his captors, he bunched it under her head. Natasha was already across from him, trying to loosen Felicity's armor. It was as he lifted it away that he noticed her rounded belly. His hand shook as it hovered over her stomach. He touched it hesitantly, his face twisting with pain as a riot of thoughts hit him at once. Many taking him back to the taunting threats his captors had made about Felicity during the long weeks of his interrogation under their machinations. What had been real and what had been their morph and her illusion? His heart and his head refused to accept the possibility that he could have failed her. Or as a darker part of his weaker self whispered, that she'd been fooled by the fake. But how could he blame her, when he had fallen prey to their schemes himself? His gut twisted and he felt sick. None of that mattered. She wasn't breathing. He needed her to live. Whatever the future held, they would face it together. He just needed her to live.

Natasha met his eyes unflinchingly, knowing exactly what that flash of fear in his eyes had meant. But it was Bruce who banished those thoughts from his mind. "We found out she was pregnant the day you were shot. She fainted at MiB. It's your baby, Steve. That Morph never touched her." 

He buried his face against Felicity's throat then, hating himself for ever doubting that she could be fooled or betray him, even unconsciously. He kissed her forehead and held his cheek close to her lips waiting for her breath. When none came, he tilted her head back. He pinched her nose and breathed for her. Then he started compressions. He counted out loud and the longer it took without any sign from his beloved, the slower he felt his heart beat in his own chest. Hot tears splashed on his palms as he pressed down on the soft cotton of her bellowing blouse. He ignored them, even though they blurred his vision and continued.

"Steve, I'm sorry," Bruce croaked brokenly.

He couldn't deal with Bruce's guilt, so he didn't look at him. He just kept up the breathing and compressions. It was finally Natasha who intervened. He looked up when she put her hand on his wrist. There was strength in her grip and he met her eyes, they were swimming with tears. It was the only time he'd ever seen her show weakness and genuine compassion. "Please stop."

Steve put his head on Felicity's chest and let out everything he'd kept bottled for months. He hadn't let his pain or helplessness, or his doubts show in front of his captors but now, with the body of his wife and his unborn child at his knees, he couldn't hold back anymore. The cry of anguish that escaped his chest travelled across the lake and echoed through the trees chasing all the birds away and causing Saefil to whinny in nervous protest. 

He heard a gasp, that sounded like Natasha and felt gentle fingers card through the long hair at his neck. He could never forget her touch and his heart tightened in his chest. He couldn't breathe.

"I love you, but right now, you're kinda heavy and I'm bruised all over," she said with a soft teasing humor in her voice.

Steve cupped her face and kissed her long and hard. She smiled against his lips and held his head with one hand firmly in his hair. Realizing he was crowding her and she was injured he broke away with great reluctance and tenderly, smoothed her tousled hair from her cheeks. "I've been dead inside, only clinging to the hope that I would have you in my arms again. Never do anything like that again. I'm begging you." 

Felicity looked at him sadly and brushed the tear stains from his cheek. "I can't promise to not fight for my friends. But I promise to always put our family first. It was stupid to risk our baby. In that moment I only thought of how many people the Hulk could kill and how Bruce wouldn't be able to forgive himself when it wasn't his fault. Oh," she exclaimed, as she gingerly pushed herself into a seated position.

Bruce immediately supported her shoulders, flinching slightly when Steve made the same motion and quickly relinquished his hold. He touched Felicity's arm instead. "Is it the baby? What is it? Where's the pain?"

Felicity winced and wrinkled her noise. Where didn't she hurt? But she knew right now, reminding Steve of how close she'd come to death was not conducive to everyone's emotional well being. She looked at Steve to explain Bruce's unexpected fretting. "He's been my OBGYN." At Steve's deepening frown, Felicity patted his chest in a placating gesture. "Just normal doctoring, not what you're thinking. Not exactly. Oh, I felt it again." Her eyes widened and she grabbed Steve's hand. She looked at her bump and smiled excitedly. "Do it again, baby. Now I know that's you and not gas, say hi to your Daddy. Come on," she urged. 

Steve didn't know what to feel, or what to expect but the nervous excited tension that held him absolutely immobile seemed like a prerequisite as he watched the expectant expressions on all their faces. Then he felt it, a slight, barely noticeable brush that rippled under Felicity's shirt beneath his palm. The feeling of awe that washed over him, caused him to blink at his wife with wide-eyed shock. There was life in there. Something they'd created together. He'd wished, prayed and hoped to just come home to her. This was something he'd not expected or even dreamed about but as his heart took it's first beat after feeling their child, he knew that this was everything he wanted. 

He was home. She was still his. And proof of their love was right under their joined hands.


End file.
